Reflector for headlights for vehicles



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,142

w. H. ZORGER REFLECTOR FOR HEADLIGHTS FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 1925 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. H. ZORGER REFLECTOR FOR HEADLIGHTS FOR VEHICLES Deg. 20, 192 7.

Filed Feb. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. ZORGER, GHAIVIPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

REFLECTOR FOR HEADLIGH'IS FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial No. 7,997.

The present invention relates to improve provide for a maximum illumination of the roadway in advance of the vehicle without producing objectionable glare.

With this and other objects in view, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of a headlight reflector embodying the present invention. j

Figure 2 is a face view of the improved reflector.

Figure is a sectional view, substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. j Figure 4 is a sectional view, substantially on the line 4- i of Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a slightly modified form of the improved reflector. I

Figure 6 is a similar view of another embodiment.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of another form of the same type as that of Figure ,1.

It will be understood, of course, that much of the illustration of the invention is more or less diagrammatic and there can be considerable modification ofdetails without departing from the invention. The drawings are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and except where details are ipeciflcally referred to in the accompanying claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the exact structures shown in the drawings.

In the drawings the invention is illustrated in connection with a reflector corresponding to an ordinary paraboloidal re A, having. a width ofapproximately one inch, will not rise abovethehorizontal more.

than one quarter of an inch per foot or six inches in a distance of twenty-five feet.

Similarly therays of light reflected from the annular marginal zone B, having a Width of approximately three quarters of an inch will only rise above the horizontal at the rate of about one quarter of an inchper foot orv a total of six inches in a distance of twenty-. five feet. H The intermediate zones C, D, however, will produce reflected rays which make a considerably greater angle with the iorizontal, commonly as much as one-half inch per foot.

. In order to prevent objectionable glaring from a headlight provided with an ordinary paraboloidal reflector, therefore, it is necessary to support the headlight on an inclined standard or in an inclined position. The inclination must, of course, be suflicient to prevent the rays reflected from the intermediate zones C, D, rising above the horizontal at suitable distances and this, of course, results in throwing down rays from the zones A, B, which in themselves do not have an objectionable rise.

By thus tilting the headlight the distance i at which the reflected rays particularly those from the zones A, B, are effective is greatly reduced.

the normalparabolic sections connecting the central and marginal zones A, B, of an ordinary paraboloidal reflector and at such an angle to said central and marginal zones that the rays of light reflected therefrom will, for example, be caused to rise above the horizontal approximately one quarter of an inch per foot instead of one-half inch per foot;

This enables the rays from the central and marginal zones to be utilized for illuminating the roadway at a considerable distance in advance of the vehicle, while the rays reflected from the intermediate zones -will thoroughly light the road in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.

As the rays of light reflected from the '1n termediate zones C, D, are not primarily intended for distance illumination, it is im portant that the rays reflected from these zones be deflected or dispersed laterally to a considerable degree so that there may be a maximum amount of illumination of the roadway immediately in front of the vehicle.

To accomplish this the faces of said intermediate zones C, D, are preferably fluted as shown in Figures 3, 4tand 5. The flut ings S are preferably of the particular form illustrated, the ridge-like portions of those on the upper intermediate zone member C preferably increasing gradually in width from their upper to their lower ends while those on the lower intermediate zone D are of reverse form. This arrangement of flut ings provides for a more rapid spreading of the rays reflected from the upper portion of the upper intermediate zone and the lower portion of the lower intermediate zone than from the other portion of such zones so that the beam of light thrown upon the roadway will be of substantially rectangular form.

Further, the flutings will be so shaped that the lateral dispersion effected by them will gradually decrease from the central rib or ridge to the shorter side members.

The intermediate zones C, D, can be formed separate from the central and marginal zones A, B, and means are provided, whereby said intermediate zones may be bodily adjusted relative to the marginal and central zones so that the operator may vary the relation of these parts in case it is desired to increase the distance to which the rays reflected by said intermediate zones will be projected.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 the sections E, F, of the reflector, the inner faces of which constitute the intermediate zones C, D, are connected to the section which forms the marginal normal parabolic zone B by hinges G. A lug H on each section E, F, is engaged by a thumb screw I mounted on a lug projecting from the section of the reflector whose inner face forms'the central zone A. By turning the screws I it will be seen that the sections E, F, and the intermediate reflecting zones C, D, can be positioned in various angular relations to the central zone A and marginal zone B.

Guiding means L, M, (see Figure 7) may be arranged on the movable and relatively stationary sections of the reflector if desired.

Instead of making the upper and lower intioned back of the normal parabolic central section A. This figure illustrates diagrammatically a solenoid O, mounted on the portion of the reflector whose inner face constitutes the annular marginal zone B and the core of which is connected to the reflector section P, the face of which includes the upper and lower intermediate reflector zones C, D. It is intended that the circuit includingthe solenoid 0 shall be provided with control devices located on the instrument board of an automobile for example, so that the operator may readily adjust the intermediate reflector zones into the desired relation with the central and marginal zones.

WVhile it is possible to make the intermediate zones of the reflector adjustable relative to the central and marginal zones, the principal advantages of the invention can be attained by a construction in which all of the zones are formed integral, that is, by stamping a single sheet of metal. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 5, in which it will be seen that the upper intermediate zone is rearward of the position of the normal parabolic section connecting the central and marginal zones of an ordinary paraboloidal reflector and the lower intermediate zone is in advance of the position of such normal connecting parabolic section.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 6, it will be seen that the edges of the intermediate sections E, F, are not offset uniformly to the adjacent edges of the central and marginal. sections A, B. In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in these figures, the extent to which the edges of such intermediate zones adjacent the annular marginal zone are oflset from such marginal zone will be less than the amount to which the other edges of such intermediate zones are oflset from the plane of the central zone A. In the form shown in Figure 5 the upper zone E is uniformly back of the position of the normal parabolic section connecting the central and marginal planes and the lower zone F is uniformly in advance of the position of said normal parabolic connecting section.

It is believed that the advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the foregoing description and the drawings. It will be seen that the improved reflector enables the headlights to bepositioned so that the maximum amount of light projected from the central and marginal zones may be utilized and avoids the production of undesirable glare from the rays reflected by the in termediate zones. W'ith a headlight provided with the improved reflector and in ters of the light cone projected from the intermediate zones will contact with the road bed at a distance of seventy-fivefeet, thus very effectively illuminating the road imme diately in advance of the vehicle. 7 I

When the headlights are provided with ordinary paraboloidal reflectors, the lamp body must be positioned'at a very considerable inclination to prevent the raysfrom the intermediate zones producing undesirable glare. lhe amount of the inclination thus necessary materially shortens the distance at which the light rays from the central and marginal zones will-contactwith the roadway and thus reduces the effectiveness of the headlight.

It will be seen that in effect the improved reflector comprises two portions which are segregated, one from the other, namely, the portion including the central transverse zone and the annular marginal zone, the rays refiected from whichfwill not rise above the horizontal at an angle any greater than one quarter of an inch per foot; and the other including the intermediate zones E, F, which would normally reflect rays at an angle to the horizontal exceeding one quarter of an inch per foot, but which are so related to the central horizontal and marginal zones that the angle of rays reflected therefrom need not exceed that of those reflected from the horizontal and marginal zones so that a very slight tilt of the headlight, if any, will prevent any reflected rays from rising substantially above the horizontal.

'By the improvementstwo distinct light zones are produced and the axial rays from the border and central zone of a reflector set at an angle corresponding to six inches in twenty-five feet will strike the roadway at a distance of one hundred and fifty feet in advance of a headlight, the focal center of whose reflector is thirty-six inches above the road level, while the axial rays from the areas E, F, of such headlight will impinge upon the roadway at a distance of seventyfive feet in advance of the light.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A reflector for vehicle headlights hav ing a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contoursof which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, two intermediate zones arranged in such angular relation to said central and mar inal zones that rays of light reflected there rom willnot rise above the horizontal to any greater extent than rays reflected from the central and marginal zones, and means on the upper intermediate zone for dis ersing laterally rays of light reflected there rom.

2. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantiallythe same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, two intermediate zones arranged in such angular relation to said central and marginal zones that rays of light reflected therefrom willnot rise above the horizontal to any greater extent than-rays reflected from the central and marginal zones, and means on both said zones for dispersing laterally the rays of light reflected therefrom.

1 3. Areflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, and two intermediate zones arranged in such angular relation to said central and marginal zones that rays of light reflected therefrom will not rise above the horizontal to any greater extent than rays reflected from the centraland marginal zones, the reflecting face of the upper intermediate zone being provided with vertically extending flutings, the rib sections of which gradually decrease inwidth from the upper to the lower edge of the zone, and the reflecting face of the lower intermediate zone being provided with vertically extending flutings, the rib sections of which gradually increase in width from the upper to the lower edge of the zone.

4. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, and two intermediate zones arranged in such angular relation to said central and marginal zones that rays of light reflected therefrom will not rise above the horizontal to any greater extent than rays reflected from the central and marginal zones, the reflecting faces of the intermediate zones being provided with means for spreading reflected rays laterally which gradually decrease in power toward the central zone.

5. A reflector for vehicle ing a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the headlights have corresponding zones of a paraboloidal relying back of the position of the normal parabolic connecting section between the central and marginal zones, and the lower intermediate zone lying forward of the position of the normal parabolic connecting section between the marginal and central zones, and means for rocking said intermediate zones about their axis.

6. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, and two intermediate zones the face contours of which are out of the position of the normal parabolic sections connecting the central and marginal zones, whereby rays of light reflected from said intermediate zones will not subtend any greater angle to the horizontal axis of the reflector than rays reflected from the central and marginal zones.

7. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, and two intermediate zones bodily adjustable relative to said central and marginal zones and having their contours out of the positions of the normal parabolic sections connecting the central, and marginal zones. 7

8. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal reflector, a zone intermediate the marginal and central zones, and above the latter, having its face cont-our out of the position of the normal parabolic section connecting the central and marginal zones, and means for adjusting said intermediate zone about a horizontal axis, for the purpose described.

9. A reflector for vehicle headlights having a transverse central zone and an annular marginal zone, the face contours of which are substantially the same as those of the corresponding zones of a paraboloidal refiector, and two intermediate zones bodily adjustable relative to said central and marginal zones and having their face contours out of the positions of the normal parabolic sections connecting the central and marginal zones, and means for simultaneously adjusting said intermediate zones, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

YVILLIAM H. ZORGER. 

